diff --git a/autoconf/configure.ac b/autoconf/configure.ac
index edd7752d..6e17b6f0 100644
--- a/autoconf/configure.ac
+++ b/autoconf/configure.ac
@@ -247,6 +247,8 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(CLANG, clang, noclang, "$LLVM_BIN_DIR:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:
 AS_IF([test "$ac_cv_path_CLANG" = "noclang"],AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find clang]),[])
 AC_SUBST([LLVM_HOME])
 
+AX_CHECK_ZLIB([],AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find zlib]))
+
 dnl look for udunits in /usr/include and /usr/include/udunits2
 AX_UDUNITS_HOME([])
 AS_IF([test "$UDUNITS_HOME" = ""],
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 516775c9..9e581eee 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -630,6 +630,7 @@ HDF5_HOME
 UDUNITS_LDFLAGS
 UDUNITS_INCLUDES
 UDUNITS_HOME
+CPP
 LLVM_HOME
 CLANG
 LLVM_CONFIG
@@ -730,6 +731,7 @@ enable_option_checking
 enable_java
 with_x
 with_llvm
+with_zlib
 with_udunits
 with_hdf5
 with_dmtcp
@@ -754,7 +756,8 @@ JAVA_CC
 JAVA_CC_FLAGS
 XMKMF
 CXXCPP
-PYTHON_VERSION'
+PYTHON_VERSION
+CPP'
 
 
 # Initialize some variables set by options.
@@ -1380,6 +1383,9 @@ Optional Packages:
   --without-PACKAGE       do not use PACKAGE (same as --with-PACKAGE=no)
   --with-x                use the X Window System
   --with-llvm[=DIR]       LLVM root directory
+  --with-zlib=DIR         root directory path of zlib installation [defaults to
+                          /usr/local or /usr if not found in /usr/local]
+  --without-zlib          to disable zlib usage completely
   --with-udunits[=DIR]    UDUnits root directory
   --with-hdf5[=DIR]       HDF5 root directory
   --with-dmtcp[=DIR]      DMTCP root directory
@@ -1407,6 +1413,7 @@ Some influential environment variables:
               The installed Python version to use, for example '2.3'. This
               string will be appended to the Python interpreter canonical
               name.
+  CPP         C preprocessor
 
 Use these variables to override the choices made by `configure' or to help
 it to find libraries and programs with nonstandard names/locations.
@@ -2077,6 +2084,130 @@ fi
   as_fn_set_status $ac_retval
 
 } # ac_fn_c_try_link
+
+# ac_fn_c_try_cpp LINENO
+# ----------------------
+# Try to preprocess conftest.$ac_ext, and return whether this succeeded.
+ac_fn_c_try_cpp ()
+{
+  as_lineno=${as_lineno-"$1"} as_lineno_stack=as_lineno_stack=$as_lineno_stack
+  if { { ac_try="$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext"
+case "(($ac_try" in
+  *\"* | *\`* | *\\*) ac_try_echo=\$ac_try;;
+  *) ac_try_echo=$ac_try;;
+esac
+eval ac_try_echo="\"\$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: $ac_try_echo\""
+$as_echo "$ac_try_echo"; } >&5
+  (eval "$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext") 2>conftest.err
+  ac_status=$?
+  if test -s conftest.err; then
+    grep -v '^ *+' conftest.err >conftest.er1
+    cat conftest.er1 >&5
+    mv -f conftest.er1 conftest.err
+  fi
+  $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: \$? = $ac_status" >&5
+  test $ac_status = 0; } > conftest.i && {
+	 test -z "$ac_c_preproc_warn_flag$ac_c_werror_flag" ||
+	 test ! -s conftest.err
+       }; then :
+  ac_retval=0
+else
+  $as_echo "$as_me: failed program was:" >&5
+sed 's/^/| /' conftest.$ac_ext >&5
+
+    ac_retval=1
+fi
+  eval $as_lineno_stack; ${as_lineno_stack:+:} unset as_lineno
+  as_fn_set_status $ac_retval
+
+} # ac_fn_c_try_cpp
+
+# ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel LINENO HEADER VAR INCLUDES
+# -------------------------------------------------------
+# Tests whether HEADER exists, giving a warning if it cannot be compiled using
+# the include files in INCLUDES and setting the cache variable VAR
+# accordingly.
+ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel ()
+{
+  as_lineno=${as_lineno-"$1"} as_lineno_stack=as_lineno_stack=$as_lineno_stack
+  if eval \${$3+:} false; then :
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $2" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $2... " >&6; }
+if eval \${$3+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+fi
+eval ac_res=\$$3
+	       { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_res" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_res" >&6; }
+else
+  # Is the header compilable?
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking $2 usability" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking $2 usability... " >&6; }
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+$4
+#include <$2>
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_header_compiler=yes
+else
+  ac_header_compiler=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_header_compiler" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_header_compiler" >&6; }
+
+# Is the header present?
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking $2 presence" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking $2 presence... " >&6; }
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <$2>
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_cpp "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_header_preproc=yes
+else
+  ac_header_preproc=no
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.i conftest.$ac_ext
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_header_preproc" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_header_preproc" >&6; }
+
+# So?  What about this header?
+case $ac_header_compiler:$ac_header_preproc:$ac_c_preproc_warn_flag in #((
+  yes:no: )
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2: accepted by the compiler, rejected by the preprocessor!" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2: accepted by the compiler, rejected by the preprocessor!" >&2;}
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2: proceeding with the compiler's result" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2: proceeding with the compiler's result" >&2;}
+    ;;
+  no:yes:* )
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2: present but cannot be compiled" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2: present but cannot be compiled" >&2;}
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2:     check for missing prerequisite headers?" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2:     check for missing prerequisite headers?" >&2;}
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2: see the Autoconf documentation" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2: see the Autoconf documentation" >&2;}
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2:     section \"Present But Cannot Be Compiled\"" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2:     section \"Present But Cannot Be Compiled\"" >&2;}
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: $2: proceeding with the compiler's result" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: $2: proceeding with the compiler's result" >&2;}
+    ;;
+esac
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $2" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for $2... " >&6; }
+if eval \${$3+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  eval "$3=\$ac_header_compiler"
+fi
+eval ac_res=\$$3
+	       { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_res" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_res" >&6; }
+fi
+  eval $as_lineno_stack; ${as_lineno_stack:+:} unset as_lineno
+
+} # ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel
 cat >config.log <<_ACEOF
 This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
 running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.
@@ -7279,6 +7410,278 @@ if test "$ac_cv_path_CLANG" = "noclang"; then :
 fi
 
 
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking how to run the C preprocessor" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking how to run the C preprocessor... " >&6; }
+# On Suns, sometimes $CPP names a directory.
+if test -n "$CPP" && test -d "$CPP"; then
+  CPP=
+fi
+if test -z "$CPP"; then
+  if ${ac_cv_prog_CPP+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+      # Double quotes because CPP needs to be expanded
+    for CPP in "$CC -E" "$CC -E -traditional-cpp" "/lib/cpp"
+    do
+      ac_preproc_ok=false
+for ac_c_preproc_warn_flag in '' yes
+do
+  # Use a header file that comes with gcc, so configuring glibc
+  # with a fresh cross-compiler works.
+  # Prefer <limits.h> to <assert.h> if __STDC__ is defined, since
+  # <limits.h> exists even on freestanding compilers.
+  # On the NeXT, cc -E runs the code through the compiler's parser,
+  # not just through cpp. "Syntax error" is here to catch this case.
+  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#ifdef __STDC__
+# include <limits.h>
+#else
+# include <assert.h>
+#endif
+		     Syntax error
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_cpp "$LINENO"; then :
+
+else
+  # Broken: fails on valid input.
+continue
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.i conftest.$ac_ext
+
+  # OK, works on sane cases.  Now check whether nonexistent headers
+  # can be detected and how.
+  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <ac_nonexistent.h>
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_cpp "$LINENO"; then :
+  # Broken: success on invalid input.
+continue
+else
+  # Passes both tests.
+ac_preproc_ok=:
+break
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.i conftest.$ac_ext
+
+done
+# Because of `break', _AC_PREPROC_IFELSE's cleaning code was skipped.
+rm -f conftest.i conftest.err conftest.$ac_ext
+if $ac_preproc_ok; then :
+  break
+fi
+
+    done
+    ac_cv_prog_CPP=$CPP
+
+fi
+  CPP=$ac_cv_prog_CPP
+else
+  ac_cv_prog_CPP=$CPP
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $CPP" >&5
+$as_echo "$CPP" >&6; }
+ac_preproc_ok=false
+for ac_c_preproc_warn_flag in '' yes
+do
+  # Use a header file that comes with gcc, so configuring glibc
+  # with a fresh cross-compiler works.
+  # Prefer <limits.h> to <assert.h> if __STDC__ is defined, since
+  # <limits.h> exists even on freestanding compilers.
+  # On the NeXT, cc -E runs the code through the compiler's parser,
+  # not just through cpp. "Syntax error" is here to catch this case.
+  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#ifdef __STDC__
+# include <limits.h>
+#else
+# include <assert.h>
+#endif
+		     Syntax error
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_cpp "$LINENO"; then :
+
+else
+  # Broken: fails on valid input.
+continue
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.i conftest.$ac_ext
+
+  # OK, works on sane cases.  Now check whether nonexistent headers
+  # can be detected and how.
+  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+#include <ac_nonexistent.h>
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_cpp "$LINENO"; then :
+  # Broken: success on invalid input.
+continue
+else
+  # Passes both tests.
+ac_preproc_ok=:
+break
+fi
+rm -f conftest.err conftest.i conftest.$ac_ext
+
+done
+# Because of `break', _AC_PREPROC_IFELSE's cleaning code was skipped.
+rm -f conftest.i conftest.err conftest.$ac_ext
+if $ac_preproc_ok; then :
+
+else
+  { { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&2;}
+as_fn_error $? "C preprocessor \"$CPP\" fails sanity check
+See \`config.log' for more details" "$LINENO" 5; }
+fi
+
+ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+
+#
+# Handle user hints
+#
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking if zlib is wanted" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking if zlib is wanted... " >&6; }
+zlib_places="/usr/local /usr /opt/local /sw"
+
+# Check whether --with-zlib was given.
+if test "${with_zlib+set}" = set; then :
+  withval=$with_zlib; if test "$withval" != no ; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+  if test -d "$withval"
+  then
+    zlib_places="$withval $zlib_places"
+  else
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places" >&2;}
+  fi
+else
+  zlib_places=
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
+$as_echo "no" >&6; }
+fi
+else
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+fi
+
+
+#
+# Locate zlib, if wanted
+#
+if test -n "${zlib_places}"
+then
+	# check the user supplied or any other more or less 'standard' place:
+	#   Most UNIX systems      : /usr/local and /usr
+	#   MacPorts / Fink on OSX : /opt/local respectively /sw
+	for ZLIB_HOME in ${zlib_places} ; do
+	  if test -f "${ZLIB_HOME}/include/zlib.h"; then break; fi
+	  ZLIB_HOME=""
+	done
+
+  ZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+  ZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+  if test -n "${ZLIB_HOME}"; then
+        LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${ZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${ZLIB_HOME}/include"
+  fi
+
+  ac_ext=c
+ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
+
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for inflateEnd in -lz" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for inflateEnd in -lz... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+LIBS="-lz  $LIBS"
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char inflateEnd ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return inflateEnd ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_lib_z_inflateEnd" = xyes; then :
+  zlib_cv_libz=yes
+else
+  zlib_cv_libz=no
+fi
+
+  ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "zlib.h" "ac_cv_header_zlib_h" "$ac_includes_default"
+if test "x$ac_cv_header_zlib_h" = xyes; then :
+  zlib_cv_zlib_h=yes
+else
+  zlib_cv_zlib_h=no
+fi
+
+
+  ac_ext=cpp
+ac_cpp='$CXXCPP $CPPFLAGS'
+ac_compile='$CXX -c $CXXFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
+ac_link='$CXX -o conftest$ac_exeext $CXXFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
+ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_cxx_compiler_gnu
+
+  if test "$zlib_cv_libz" = "yes" && test "$zlib_cv_zlib_h" = "yes"
+  then
+    #
+    # If both library and header were found, action-if-found
+    #
+
+                CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${ZLIB_HOME}/include"
+                LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${ZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+                LIBS="-lz $LIBS"
+
+$as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBZ 1" >>confdefs.h
+
+
+  else
+    #
+    # If either header or library was not found, action-if-not-found
+    #
+    as_fn_error $? "could not find zlib" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+fi
+
+
 
 
 # Check whether --with-udunits was given.